Although there is no active search for a permanent dean, the College of Graduate Studies is carrying on as normal under the leadership of Interim Dean Jerry McMurtry. The college has been without a permanent dean since July.
According to a statement from the University of Idaho, John Wiencek, provost and executive vice president, will move forward with finding a new dean for the College of Graduate Studies after the completion of UI”s new strategic plan this spring.
McMurtry
McMurtry said finding a new dean involves a rigorous process that starts with Wiencek”s office putting together a search committee.
They plan to conduct a national search and look for a pool of individuals who are interested in the position.
“We have good programs. I think we work with policies and procedures that keep our programs rigorous and at a high level,” McMurtry said.
Then, the search committee will screen those applicants and narrow them down to who they think would be a good fit for UI. Those applicants will then be invited to the university for interviews and conversations with faculty and staff. Finally, the committee will make a recommendation and Wiencek will make a decision.
McMurtry said the dean of the College of Graduate Studies is responsible for all of the graduate students – from admissions through graduation. When graduate students are admitted, they”re admitted into the college and take courses from other colleges and other units.
McMurtry said the college also provides funding for teaching assistants on campus and puts together education programs to enhance their teaching abilities.
“And so we are kind of the unit that does everything,” McMurtry said
McMurtry said they would like to see a dean candidate who has a passion for education and a vision of how to improve and enhance graduate programs. In the position, he said the dean could enhance the graduate student experience and work with faculty from all colleges.
McMurtry said his role as dean is to help graduate students get through their graduate education smoothly, and to put together programs that will help accomplish their professional goals.
He said the college tries to create visibility for graduate programs around the world, sending a recruiter out to generate interest and bring in high-quality students.
“We work hard to publicize what our graduate students do – the research that”s been done and the accomplishments that our students see,” McMurtry said. “We publicize those. We do a lot to make those visible to an international audience.”
As dean, McMurtry said he feels his greatest responsibility is to find strategies to keep improving the university”s graduate programs and strategies to attract the best students.
Ryan Locke can be reached at [email protected]